The FANTASTIC trip *

[lowveldboy]

Posted by Lowveldboy on Mon Feb 06, 2012 2:20 pm

I was going to do this report in my Daytrips thread, but after this trip and seeing close to 50 photos that needs to be posted - I thought it deserves a thread of its own!!!I will pull this out a little, so I can savour it a bit more - hope you dont mind :lol: So here goes, hold on it will be a wild ride ....

We left the Friday after work (did help that we left work a bit earlier than normal), and headed for Malelane camp. I do not mind a tent, but my folks came along and they have not really camped for many a year. Age catches up with us all :? , except me :lol: . I had a good feeling driving throught the gate - This was going to be a great weekend. We headed to Berg & Dal to fill up the ice and get some wood. In that short stretch we came across Impala, Giraffe and this Brown Snake Eagle



Putting up camp was warm work as the himidity was ridicolously high(being the youngster, I had to do both tents ). The night was spend with a bull ellie about 50m from us enjoying the marulas. We also enjoyed some marula later that night, just in liquid form.

The next morning we were out the gate as it opened and headed to Matjulu. It was cloudy, yet humid. We did not see as much as an impala all the way around the Matjulu loop up to the tar road. We headed towards afsaal, and was pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was. The whole weekend the roads was reasonably quiet and the only speeding we saw was from Jeep jockeys and STAFF!!!!!

We came across a pin-tailed Whydah ...



an Hyeana in a hurry



and some rhino



about 1km before afsaal we encountered a real favourite - CHEETAH ....





A quick pistop and down the Mlambane loop. This road was teeming with wildlife ...









.

More to follow later ...

[lowveldboy]

Posted by Lowveldboy on Mon Feb 06, 2012 2:20 pm

Let's carry on.

I turned onto the Crocriver road towards croc bridge, forgetting that the bridge over the Biyamiti had been washed away. I felt pretty stupid coming too that point and having to turn around :roll: But it was not all bad, in actual fact - IT WAS GREAT

The 1st reason being ....

Trumpeter Hornbill


Juvenile Martial Eagle


Adult Martial Eagle


One can always spot some hard working insects, if one so wishes ...



By now the sum had come out and the humidity was sky-high. The little mist rain that fell earlier did not even wet the ground. Crossing back over the Mlambane we had two male models in perfect pose ...



The raptors were everywhere, especially Tawny Eagles. But there was some other ones as well like this Dark Chanting Goshawk ...



We made a quick stop at the camp, mostly to plan the route for the rest of the day. We decided to head up to afsaal and then return via Steilberg and berg & Dal(we needed supplies). There were plenty of elephants and Impala around. We were gently driving along, no other car in sight, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere a cat appeared. My 1st leopard sighting in almost a year (since April last year). This was the only pic I could get as he was in a serious hurry ...



We stopped at afsaal, having encountered huge herds of Zebra in the open plains just south of the picnic spot. Well we did stop, basically just turned around.

I heard something in the bush, so stopped and investigated. I could not see anything, until wanting to pull away, up in the tree above - another Dark Chanting Goshawk



While photographing the goshawk, my eye caught some movement. I immediatly jumped for joy. It took about 20 minutes of patient driving a bit forward and then a bit back, but I finally got my picture. A lifer I had wanted too see for long time. Grey Headed Bush-Shrike ....



The rest of road was quiet, bar a few ellies. The air was cooler than the previous night, which meant it was just perfect. I wanted to get to bed early, but as Sprocky and Penga Ndlovu can testify, I usually end up braaing for breakfast. Went to bed after midnight - AGAIN!!!

The next morning camp was taken down, and just in time as a slight rain started to fall, not much but enough to make packing up a tent uncomfortable. Sighting started of slow, until I saw a car parked in the distance with the people out of it taking pictures with "whichever" animal in the background They left in a big hurry on spotting us, and then I saw the animal. They are a real stupid bunch. Not 10m from the road, another long streak (3 years) broken - Black Rhino



The rain kept falling, or let me rather say the mist rain kept falling and even the bushbuck at afsaal decided enough is enough ...



We had a quick breakfast stop, and headed north. My planning was to take the S23 and then head across to Nkuhlu. The rocky outcrops just north of Afsaal did 1st spoil us to some klipspringer and baboons ...





My plans was thwarted by the fact that the s23 was closed. That left me with no choice to head to Skukuza. I was dissapointed, till I saw a single car ... :lol:

[lowveldboy]

Posted by Lowveldboy on Tue Feb 07, 2012 3:21 pm

Time to continue ....

I saw a car a few hundred meters in front standing still, so I slowed down scanning the bush for what it might be. Then I saw them, right next to the road. My 1st thought was Jackals, then I saw the ears. The following extract from a very well known musical explains it best -

I've got chills ,
they're multiplying.
I am losing control,
because of the power you're supplying ...
It's electrifying"

I had goosebumps, tears, could not utter a word. 12 years of searching and waiting and patience - finally over. My dream came true,

I SAW WILD DOGS!!!!





















I spent 45 minutes with them and at no stage was there more than 3 cars present. I could not have asked for more. I still get goosebumps just remembering that moment. They stood up, stretched and dissappeared into the bush. I left a happy man. The next 2 hours was a blur, so luckily I have photo's to remember.

The 1st one of those - Vulture drying itself ...



Then another awesome sighting. Leopard, never mind that - LIT



The birdies were special too - African Striped Cuckoo



After a fuel stop at Skukuza, which was a hassle as they only accept cah(I do not carry cash) - We headed down Eloff street. There we saw our 1st Buffalo of the trip and then a lioness and cubs to complete the Fatastic 7 - what a feeling to say that :lol:



The damage done by the floods is mind blowing. It must have been a sight to behold. The rest of the way down to Lower Sabie delivered elephants, kudu's and Giraffes. W still had some time so I decided to do the Muntshe loop before heading to the gate. On the bridge there was - Common Sandpiper



Green Backed Heron ...



The 1st part of the loop was birding time again with a, what I think, is a Juvenile Lesser Grey Shrike (Lifer)



a lot of Red Billed Quelea



and Amur Falcon (Male)



I also on this stretch of road had a very confusing sighting. I was a big White bird in the distance, so I took the bino's and checked. I at 1st thought it was a Fish Eagle, but the beak was to thick. I wanted to take a pic for later ID, but it flew away. My gut says it was Palm Nut Vulture and I know of confirmed sightings in the last 2 weeks next to the crocodile river. Has anybody any idea if they have been spotted in Kruger before? I am not putting it as a tick, but I am wondering. The muntshe loop delivered with its usual massive herds of Ellies and Buffalo, but all in the distance.

Back on the tar Road I was admiring some elephants when down the road came this "little"lady ...



She came so close to the car, that my lens could not focus . I could smell her - what a feeling of vunerability.

We headed towards Croc Bridge gate and I saw something. My immediate thought was Flutterby -



Not too far from the gate, this one really seemed like he was in charge, from his raised position ...



At the gate there was some elephants. Also along the road somewhere ...



I exited the gate with the normal heavy heart, but did not feel as depressed as usual. I had been shown almost all that can be shown by Mother Nature. I had a feeling of accomplishment, inner peace ... of contentment. This was my best trip ever, and will be remembered by me for as long as I live. This was - MY FANTASTIC TRIP!!!